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In this Issue:
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Welcome to the North Carolina Library Association’s monthly eNewsletter! A production of the NCLA Marketing Committee, the eNewsletter is devoted to highlighting professional events and programs, librarians making exceptional differences in their communities, and how the association is working to serve YOU! Please subscribe and your feedback is always welcome.
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Just a few short weeks ago, I was installed as your NCLA President in Winston-Salem. I’m still pinching myself to be sure I’m not dreaming. When we started planning the 64th Biennial NCLA/SELA Conference in 2019, we did not know that we would be hit with a pandemic. When we chose our theme, “S.E.E. the Future,” in March of 2020, we were excited about seeing the future, and it was also a shout out to SELA who has been our partner for this conference. I have to admit, I was a little intimidated by the phrase. But we are seeing the future with this conference. We had to make some tough decisions: Did we want to go completely virtual? Did we want to try a hybrid conference? Would people feel comfortable coming to Winston-Salem and being in person? With all of the ups and downs of COVID-19, we were not sure what it would look like the next week, much less months away in October 2021. Hopefully through all of this we have learned to be more kind and understanding towards one another. We have definitely learned a tremendous amount over the last few years. We took on Zoom and Whova, and we rocked it! I led my first webinars for this conference. We made a few mistakes, and it was complicated to say the least, but in the end it was a great conference. Many of you were either unable to attend in person or chose not to, but those who did make it to Winston were appreciative of the opportunity to be with each other again. Lynda Reynolds from the State Library summed it up quite well: “I just wanted to say that I thought the conference went great and I very much enjoyed the opportunity to be there in person. It really made me feel connected again to my profession. And, I still have so many recordings to watch! Thanks for all you did to make this happen!!" The staff at Twin City Quarter made us feel welcome and safe; the sweet therapy dogs visited us again and the Zen Den gave us a place for reflection and meditation. With programs and posters on diversity, self-care, instruction, sustainability, and more, there was something for everyone. Our keynote speakers were all amazing and sparked conversations on how we can “support, educate and empower” each other and our communities. I can’t say thank you enough to my conference planning team. It truly was a collaborative effort. The recordings for the conference will be available November 1, 2021 - May 1, 2022. I plan to watch many of them over and over! Registration for the recordings is still available for those who missed it. I’m looking forward to the upcoming biennium as your President. The future is bright indeed. Mark your calendars now! 65th Biennial Conference October 16-20, 2023 in Winston-Salem
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Later this month the NCLA Members listserv will move to a new hosting platform. The new platform, Simplelists, is more modern and flexible than the current Lyris tool. Among other upgrades, you’ll finally be able to manage your own subscription status. In a few days you’ll see notice of this change sent to the current listserv, with a more detailed timeline and info about how to post to the new listserv. The transition will be complete by the end of November. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Chad Haefele at cHaefele@email.unc.edu.
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Did you get your favorite section’s latest newsletter? Not sure? It may be because you are not subscribed to administrator updates through the NCLA website. Subscribing to administrator updates allows you to receive emails such as section newsletters and member-only emails, such as invitations to vote for the next biennium’s executive board. Go to https://nclaonline.org and use the person icon in the upper right-hand corner to login to your account. Click on “View Profile”. On the “My profile” page, click “Email subscriptions” and ensure there is a check mark next to “Mass emails from administrators, such as newsletters and other important notifications”. If it is not checked, click the “Edit profile” button, click the check box to subscribe, then Save. You should now receive the emails sent through the NCLA website. If you have any questions or issues, you may contact the NCLA Web and Technologies team at web@nclaonline.org
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The latest issue of North Carolina Libraries is now available! Check here for the most recent version here.
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The State Library posts position announcements as a service to libraries in the state of North Carolina. For more information regarding a position please contact the hiring library or organization in the provided link. Check out current openings here.
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From the NC Department of Health and Human Services: Find COVID-19 vaccine information here!
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The North Carolina Digital Heritage Center is now taking nominations for microfilmed newspaper digitization. If your organization would like to propose a title, please check out our blog for full details and the nomination form.
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Joshua Berkov Collection Mangement Librarian NC Library for the Blind and Physically Handicappd 1.What was the first library job you had that made the little voice in your head go “Yes- I have found the profession for me!” During the summer before my senior year of college at Brown University, I started working in their Archives department, located inside of the John Hay Special Collections Library. I had taken the job so that I could stay in Providence, RI over the summer, but I soon found that I had a real passion for the work. I loved helping patrons who came in with research questions pertaining to the history of the University. I continued to work there through the end of my senior year and came to realize that I wanted very much to continue working in libraries. A year later, I started my MSLS program at UNC-Chapel Hill and never looked back. 2.What part of your job keeps you going to work every day? How do you continue to find inspiration and passion in the library field? I’ve always enjoyed helping people, but in my current position as the Collection Management Librarian at the North Carolina Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, this has taken on a new meaning for me. Even though I don’t have regular public service duties, I do fill in now and then when we’re short-staffed. The gratitude that our patrons have shown to me and to all of our staff for the work we do is immeasurable. Many of our patrons are losing their sight later in life, and our materials provide a lifeline to them. Some live on their own and have no other meaningful contact with the outside world (aside from Television) except through our books. I can’t begin to count the number of patrons who have credited our books and services with saving their sanity over the years. It’s this gratitude from our patrons that keeps me going every day, knowing that the work I do has a meaningful impact on the lives of thousands of North Carolinians across the state. 3. Who are your library heroes in North Carolina and beyond? By the time this interview is published, State Librarian of North Carolina Timothy Owens will have already left for sunny California, but he deserves mention here. Timothy has been a staunch advocate for our library and has, on many occasions, worked his magic to ensure that we have the resources we need to provide excellent service to our patrons. Another hero of mine is Barbara Semonche, who has sadly passed away since I last worked for her at the Park Library within what was then called the School of Journalism and Mass Communication at UNC-Chapel Hill. She was an incredible mentor and friend to me as I was pursuing my MSLS. 4. Tell us a little about your interests and hobbies outside of the library. I’m sure this will come as no surprise, but I’m an avid reader. Anything from mystery and suspense to romance and historical fiction, with a couple of nonfiction titles thrown into the mix each year. In addition, I’m also a writer and published author. I released my first novel The Enlightenment of Angeline in April 2020, and have since released another novel, followed by a short story. My third novel titled Adulting at the Moto-Lodge: A Humorous Family Life Romp will be released on December 1st of this year, followed by another short story. Through my writing, I’ve met some wonderful people, many of whom claim to be my number one fan. I just hope they don’t all know each other! My writing is what has gotten me through some very difficult times over the last couple of years, both personally and due to the pandemic. They say writing can be therapeutic, and I have certainly found that to be the case for myself. Are you interested in being featured in the “Librarian Interview” section of the NCLA Newsletter? We are looking for members who want to share their experiences and advice with our membership. If you would like to be considered, please provide your name and contact information on this form.
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Living Nations, Living Words: An Anthology of First Peoples Poetry
by Joy Harjo
"A powerful, moving anthology that celebrates the breadth of Native poets writing today. Joy Harjo, the first Native poet to serve as U.S. Poet Laureate, has championed the voices of Native peoples past and present. Her signature laureate project gathers the work of contemporary Native poets into a national, fully digital map of story, sound, and space, celebrating their vital and unequivocal contributions to American poetry. This companion anthology features each poem and poet from the project to offer readers a chance to hold the wealth of poems in their hands. With work from Natalie Diaz, Ray Young Bear, Craig Santos Perez, Sherwin Bitsui, Layli Long Soldier, among others, Living Nations, Living Words showcases, as Joy Harjo writes in her stirring introduction, "poetry [that] emerges from the soul of a community, the heart and lands of the people. In this country, poetry is rooted in the more than 500 living indigenous nations. Living Nations, Living Words is a representative offering.""
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North Carolina Library Association 265 Eastchester Drive Suite 133, #364 High Point, North Carolina 27262
www.nclaonline.org/ |
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